Quintiles Considers Acquisition in Scotland

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC - January 17, 1995 - Quintiles Transnational Corp. announced today that its subsidiary, Quintiles (UK ) Limited, has signed a non-binding letter of intent to acquire certain assets of a drug development facility from Syntex Pharmaceuticals Limited, a member of the Roche group in Basle, Switzerland. The facility is located in Edinburgh, Scotland. Pursuant to the proposed agreement, Quintiles would employ approximately 200 existing Syntex employees. The proposed transaction is subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement and other approvals.

In making the announcement, Dennis Gillings, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Subject to a final agreement with Roche, the facility would expand considerably the ability of Quintiles to undertake full-service drug development contracts." Specifically, the facility would allow Quintiles to expand its clinical research and data management services in Europe, to increase its nonclinical drug development facilities, to provide a packaging capability for clinical trial materials, and to build a European clinical diagnostic laboratory over the long term.

As a contract research organization, Quintiles serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as they develop new products worldwide. Quintiles' professional services include clinical trials management, data management, biostatistical analysis, centralized clinical trial laboratory services, pre-clinical testing, study design, strategic and regulatory consulting, and health economics consulting. Headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, the company has 15 operating units and two sales offices in nine countries. With nearly 1,100 employees worldwide, Quintiles would employ approximately 1,300 staff if the acquisition in Scotland is completed.